


A Most Enlightening Experience

by Sasa_Q



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Cardassian Anatomy, M/M, Masturbation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:42:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28807515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sasa_Q/pseuds/Sasa_Q
Summary: When Julian learns that Garak has never touched himself, he offers to teach him how.
Relationships: Julian Bashir/Elim Garak
Comments: 2
Kudos: 75





	A Most Enlightening Experience

Julian waited at their usual table in the replimat with a cup of tea and his lunch. Or, what remained of it. He had eaten at least half of his meal waiting for Garak, who was shockingly late today, to show up. Julian was surprised. Garak wasn't usually late to lunch. In fact, he made it sound like he enjoyed their lunches together. So why was he late?

"Doctor!" came a very familiar voice. Julian looked up. Garak was standing there with a tray of stew and a glass of very rokassa juice that Julian could smell from several feet away. "I apologize for my lateness. I had a customer who decided not to respect the fact that I choose to take a lunch break. She seemed to think simple tailors like me don't deserve lunch breaks." He sat down, unintentionally wafting the rokassa juice at Julian, who wrinkled his nose.

"Well, you're here now," Julian said. "Still working on the Vulcan ambassador's set of robes?"

"As a matter of a fact, I am," said Garak between bites of stew. "I rarely get such dull commissions. With robes, there's such a variety of flow and texture, but the ambassador insists on the most plain and dull of fabrics. It pains me whenever I sit down to work on them."

"Well, that's a shame," said Julian. "Were you too busy to read the book I recommended?"

"Not at all," Garak said. "I read the whole thing. A very strange novel, not really in the styles you've shown me before. I was quite interested in the character arc of the protagonist."

"Most people are," Julian said. "But the main character's changing arc is often used to overlook the things about him that stay the same."

"Indeed," Garak said. "I must say, doctor, that I'm quite appalled that you would recommend such a novel to me. It happens to be very... lewd."

"Oh, you're referring to that one scene," Julian said.

"Yes, I most certainly am," Garak said, looking affronted. "I couldn't believe you would recommend me a book with such a vulgar open display of sexuality."

"It's not that bad," Julian said. "It's just masturbation. Humans do it a lot."

"How strange," Garak said. "I'm glad Cardassians aren't like that. It sounds like a most peculiar experience."

"You act like you've never done it before," said Julian. Garak just stared. "Wait a minute," said Julian. "You've really never...?"

"Doctor, I see no reason to have such a discussion in public," Garak said, not answering the question.

"Garak, no one's listening," said Julian.

"I choose to believe that if one has the ability to listen, they will," said Garak. "And we're surrounded by people."

"But you've never-"

"My dear doctor," said Garak, "I told you I'm not going to talk to you about this in public."

"Fine," said Julian, getting an idea. "We'll talk about it in private."

"I don't feel like trekking all the way to the habitat ring and then back to my shop," Garak said.

"We won't," Julian said. "We'll go to my office in the infirmary."

Garak sighed. "If you insist on continuing this discussion."

"And I do," said Julian stubbornly.

So the two of them ate the rest of their meals, put their dishes to be reclaimed, and made their way to the infirmary. Garak looked a little uncomfortable as they walked through the infirmary, Julian waving to the nurses they passed.

Finally, they got to Julian's private office, and the door slid shut behind them.

"Garak," said Julian as soon as the door shut. "You're telling me you've never masturbated?"

Garak's face was darker gray than usual. "It's simply not something most Cardassians do," he said, sounding defensive. "On Cardassia Prime, it's considered quite deviant."

"I can't believe it," Julian said. "You haven't touched yourself, never, not even once?"

"I don't know why we're having this conversation," Garak said indignantly.

"Not even once?" Julian repeated.

Garak sighed, evidently realizing that Julian wasn't going to drop the topic. "Not even once," he said. "Like I said, on Cardassia Prime-"

"But you're not on Cardassia Prime anymore," Julian interrupted. "Have you ever... you know, wanted to?"

"I must say that I've... considered it," Garak said. "But to tell you the truth, I really wouldn't even know where to start."

"I could show you," Julian offered. Julian! he thought as soon as the words left his mouth. Why would you go and say something like that? He's going to think you're being weird about it! "I mean," Julian said, "I could, you know... tell you how to do it. Help you."

"Do you offer this to all your patients?" Garak asked.

"I'm not doing this as a doctor," Julian said. "I'm doing this as a friend."

Garak paused. Then he said, "I believe that would be most welcome, doctor."

"Really?" Julian said. "You'd really like me to?"

"You were the one who offered," Garak pointed out.

"I guess I did," said Julian. "Okay. All right. When do you want to do it? Maybe in a few days?"

"How about tonight?" Garak asked.

Julian had not been expecting that. "Sure, tonight works," he said, taken a little aback. "Let's say... 2200 hours, in my quarters?"

"I'd prefer to do this in my quarters," Garak said. "I'm afraid I would feel a bit... uncomfortable in yours."

"All right," Julian said. "Your quarters, 2200 hours, tonight. I'll be there."

"Excellent," Garak said. "I'm sure this will be very... enlightening." And then he left the office, leaving Julian alone and very flustered.

XXXXX

Julian felt oddly nervous as he got ready to go to Garak's quarters that night. He had had a busy day in the infirmary after lunch, so he had put he and Garak's meeting out of his mind for a while, but now that work was over for the day, he found that he couldn't stop thinking about it.

He changed out of his Starfleet uniform and into more casual clothes once he got back to his quarters from work, and ate a solitary dinner. He couldn't stop thinking about what he had offered Garak. Did I overstep any boundaries? he thought. Was offering such a thing a mistake? Do I even know what I've gotten myself into?

And he couldn't help but think that maybe he didn't.

Julian arrived in front of Garak's quarters exactly at 2200 hours, a bundle of nerves. He rang the bell outside Garak's quarters. "Garak?" he called. "It's me. Dr. Bashir." He had a vain hope that maybe Garak had forgotten about their engagement.

"Ah! Dr. Bashir!" came Garak's voice. "Please, come in."

When Julian stepped inside Garak's quarters, he nearly had a heart attack. Because Garak was lying down on his bed facing the doorway, and he was completely and utterly naked.

Julian couldn't stop staring. Garak's body was a nice shade of gray, and covered in delicate scales. He was bigger-framed than Julian, his body pleasantly curving and dipping. Julian couldn't help but notice that he had nipples, like a human would. But what he was really focused on was the scaled slit between Garak's legs.

"Oh," was all Julian could say.

"Oh my," said Garak. "I appear quite underdressed." But he didn't move to cover himself up.

"No, it's- it's all right," said Julian. "Some people consider it more pleasurable to do this completely naked." He gestured with his hands. "You, er... I don't know Cardassian biology very well, so..."

"Ah," said Garak. "Let me explain to you. We call these the tolv." He gestured at his nipples, which Julian noticed were covered in fine gray scaling. "This is called the ajan." He pointed at the slit between his legs. "All Cardassians have one. I happen to also have what we call a prUt inside of my ajan."

"Okay," said Julian. "Tolv. Ajan. PrUt. Right. I think I can remember that."

"You can step closer to me, you know," Garak informed him. "You look scared."

"I'm not scared," said Julian, walking toward Garak and sitting in a chair next to his bed. "It's just... I've never done this before. Shown someone how to... you know."

"This will be a learning experience for both of us, then," Garak said. He paused, then said, "I don't really feel in a very sexual mood."

"That's okay," Julian said. "Sometimes you only start feeling turned on when you start touching yourself." He thought. "Sometimes it helps to picture someone."

"Picture someone?" Garak repeated.

"Yeah, you know, like another Cardassian," Julian explained.

Garak closed his eyes and lay on his back. After a second, he said, "All right."

"Picturing someone?" Julian asked.

Garak nodded. "So... where do we start, doctor?"

"Well," said Julian, "I don't know a lot about Cardassian biology, but I'm assuming sex works pretty similarly for Cardassians as it does for humans."

"More or less," Garak said, his eyes still closed.

"All right," said Julian. "Then... wet one or two of your fingers with your mouth."

Garak obediently did so, his pinkish tongue darting out to wet the pointer and middle fingers of his left hand. "Now what?"

"Now," said Julian, "making sure to be careful, take your fingers -maybe only do one if you're not sure about it- and slip them inside your..." He had forgotten the word.

"Ajan," supplied Garak.

"Ajan," Julian repeated.

Garak hesitated for a second, then dipped his fingers inside himself. "Oh," he said, sounding surprised. "That feels... rather nice."

"It'll feel even better if you move your fingers back and forth," Julian said. "Remember, be gentle. You don't want to hurt yourself, especially if you're not used to doing this."

Garak began to slowly move his fingers in and out of his ajan. "Mmm. This feels good, too."

"It's supposed to," Julian said. He couldn't help but smile. He had never seen his friend so vulnerable. It was kind of nice. "Now, if you're feeling braver, go a bit faster. Build up the speed slowly, so you can get used to it."

"All right," Garak said. Julian could see him doing it faster. "Ohhh," Garak moaned. "Doctor, I think I'm getting close."

"To orgasming? Already?" Julian couldn't help but say.

"No," said Garak. "To everting. Some Cardassians call it 'blooming'. It's what happens when a male Cardassian gets 'turned on', as you say. Our internal genitalia becomes external." He bit his lip. "I don't think I can hold it back anymore."

"That's okay," said Julian. "Go ahead."

He was very surprised to see something slide fluidly out between the lips of Garak's ajan as Garak withdrew his fingers. Curving upward was a pinkish-gray object a bit less lengthy, but a bit wider, than a normal human penis. Garak let out a quiet moan as it slid out.

"You're, er, pretty wet," Julian said, surprised to notice that there was a noticeable dampness between Garak's legs.

"Cardassians are naturally self-lubricating," said Garak.

"You could have told me that before I asked you to wet your fingers," Julian said.

Garak laughed a little. "Just humoring you, doctor," he said. "Now that I've everted, what next?"

"Curl your hand around your..." Julian's voice trailed off.

"PrUt," Garak said.

"Your prUt," Julian said. Where is my mind tonight? he thought. I'm forgetting everything. "Curl your hand around it, not too tight but not too loose either, and begin moving it back and forth."

Obediently, Garak began to stroke his prUt with one hand. "Oh my," he said. "Doctor, that feels... ohh... very good."

"That's good," said Julian encouragingly. He noticed that Garak was moving his hand in a way that Julian himself wouldn't do. "What are you doing with your hand?"

"It feels good when I stimulate my irllun," Garak said, not stopping.

"What's an irllun?" Julian asked.

Garak moved his hand out of the way and opened his eyes. "See the small scales here?" he asked, pointing to the area around the base of his prUt. "Those are the irllun."

"I see," said Julian. "Well, by all means, touch your irllun."

They were silent for a few minutes as Garak stroked his prUt, his eyes closed once again. Then Garak said, "Doctor?"

"Yeah?" Julian said.

"Could you... talk to me?" Garak asked. "It feels strange for everything to be silent."

"Sure," said Julian. "What do you want me to talk about?"

"Encourage me," said Garak in a bit of a small voice.

"I can do that," Julian said, a bit surprised. He paused for a moment, then said, "Keep going, Garak. You're doing a good job."

"Oh, yesss," Garak hissed. "It feels... it feels so good. I didn't know it could feel so good without someone else doing it to you."

"It can," said Julian. "Keep going. There you go. Just like that."

"Ohhh," Garak breathed. "Doctor, I think I'm getting close."

"Start going a little bit faster," Julian instructed him. Garak did so. "There you go, Garak. You're doing great."

"I think I'm going to come," Garak hissed.

"Keep going," Julian said. "And don't stop until the feeling is gone."

Garak began to go a bit faster. "Ohhh, yesss, Julian, yes, just like that," Garak moaned, and he came all over his stomach. A second later, he went very still. "Oh no," he said. "Oh no. I didn't mean to say that."

"Garak," said Julian slowly, "when you were touching yourself, were you... were you picturing me?"

Garak opened his eyes. His face was flushed. "Yes," he admitted. "I'm so sorry, doctor. That was completely inappropriate of me. I didn't mean to do that."

"Hey, no, it's okay," Julian said. "I've, er, pictured you a few times. When I've... touched myself."

Garak's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah," Julian said, a bit embarrassed. "So it's not a big deal. Right?"

Garak hesitated, then nodded. "Right," he said.

"We had better get you cleaned up," said Julian.

They ended up with Garak in the shower, scrubbing his body clean, and Julian standing outside the shower. Garak claimed this was because he wanted to talk to Julian, but for most of his shower, he was silent.

Julian heard the water turn off. A moment later, Garak stepped out of the shower, radiating heat from the temperature of the water.

Julian held out a towel, which Garak took, wrapping it around himself. The two of them walked back into the main area of Garak's quarters.

"So," Garak said.

"So," said Julian.

"I want to say... thank you," Garak said. "This has been a most enlightening experience."

"For both of us," said Julian.

"I wanted to say-" Garak began.

"There's no need to apologize," said Julian. "Everything's fine between us. Okay?"

Garak seemed to relax a bit. "Okay," he repeated. "But I do have to say, if it's not too intrusive of me. You've... pictured me while touching yourself before. I've pictured you. Perhaps we should just cut out of the middleman and actually have relations."

Julian was very surprised. "Right now?" he said.

Garak laughed. It was a nice sound. "Not right now," he said. "Right now I'm exhausted. But... sometime, we should. You know... just to see how it feels."

Julian smiled. "I think that's a very good idea."

**Author's Note:**

> My first smut of the new year! Hoorah!  
> I owe considerable thanks to the Bible- I mean, uh, Speculative Cardassian Reproductive Xenobiology.  
> All joking aside, if you liked this, I'd love if you commented!


End file.
